Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
6 Low-Cost Marketing Ideas to Get Noticed
6 Low-Cost Marketing Ideas to Get Noticed
6 Low-Cost Marketing Ideas to Get Noticed
Daily Real Estate News Monday, November 14, 2011
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You don’t need to break the bank to expand your marketing efforts and build connections, marketing expert Julie Ryan, e-PRO, with Strategic Thinking in Australia, told a crowd at the Marketing Without Money session during the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim. “If you have a tight budget, you tend to be more focused on making sure every single dollar works harder,” Ryan said.
Regardless of how large or small your budget is, make your marketing message stick by focusing on three core areas: Impact (offering up a message of value to clients), frequency (making contact a minimum of at least three times in three weeks to get people to remember you), and building relationships to form lasting connections, Ryan said.
She offered up some of the following low-cost marketing ideas at the session:
1. Offer congratulations: Scan the local newspaper in search of good-news stories, such as people in the community earning an award or a job promotion, and then send a note congratulating them on the feat. That pat-on-the-back recognition makes you memorable and helps you build connections with people in your market, Ryan said.
2. Provide a special touch: To give your message more impact, print out an invitation to an open house for your listing and roll it up and tie it with a ribbon. Then, place it in door hangers on neighbors’ doors, mail the rolled-up invitation in a cylinder, or even hand-deliver it.
3. Show time: Create videos showing off your listings and post them on sites like YouTube to expand your reach. Also, consider creating videos of your community that explain what it’s like to live and work there, or that answer common real estate questions, Ryan suggested.
4. Try location-based social media: Sites like Foursquare aren’t just for checking-in to local areas, but you can use them to leave tips and relevant, helpful information at every single location your customers are likely to frequent (such as local restaurants or where to find the best views in the city).
5. Be a valuable resource: Once you’ve identified something your customers are interested in, set up a Google Alert to monitor that topic so you’ll get a notification when something matching those keyword terms surfaces on the Internet. You can then pass the message along through an e-mail or quick phone call to let your client know about something they may not know about yet. It’ll help you build stronger connections with consumers, Ryan said.
6. Reach out to the community: Instead of just writing a donation check to schools or charitable groups, try offering up an award that you can present or hosting a special event with community involvement. For example, present a book award at a middle or elementary school to a student for a job well done, or hire the local elementary school band to play at your upcoming auction or as part of a special event at your office.
Source: Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
6 Low-Cost Marketing Ideas to Get Noticed
Daily Real Estate News Monday, November 14, 2011
-->
You don’t need to break the bank to expand your marketing efforts and build connections, marketing expert Julie Ryan, e-PRO, with Strategic Thinking in Australia, told a crowd at the Marketing Without Money session during the 2011 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Anaheim. “If you have a tight budget, you tend to be more focused on making sure every single dollar works harder,” Ryan said.
Regardless of how large or small your budget is, make your marketing message stick by focusing on three core areas: Impact (offering up a message of value to clients), frequency (making contact a minimum of at least three times in three weeks to get people to remember you), and building relationships to form lasting connections, Ryan said.
She offered up some of the following low-cost marketing ideas at the session:
1. Offer congratulations: Scan the local newspaper in search of good-news stories, such as people in the community earning an award or a job promotion, and then send a note congratulating them on the feat. That pat-on-the-back recognition makes you memorable and helps you build connections with people in your market, Ryan said.
2. Provide a special touch: To give your message more impact, print out an invitation to an open house for your listing and roll it up and tie it with a ribbon. Then, place it in door hangers on neighbors’ doors, mail the rolled-up invitation in a cylinder, or even hand-deliver it.
3. Show time: Create videos showing off your listings and post them on sites like YouTube to expand your reach. Also, consider creating videos of your community that explain what it’s like to live and work there, or that answer common real estate questions, Ryan suggested.
4. Try location-based social media: Sites like Foursquare aren’t just for checking-in to local areas, but you can use them to leave tips and relevant, helpful information at every single location your customers are likely to frequent (such as local restaurants or where to find the best views in the city).
5. Be a valuable resource: Once you’ve identified something your customers are interested in, set up a Google Alert to monitor that topic so you’ll get a notification when something matching those keyword terms surfaces on the Internet. You can then pass the message along through an e-mail or quick phone call to let your client know about something they may not know about yet. It’ll help you build stronger connections with consumers, Ryan said.
6. Reach out to the community: Instead of just writing a donation check to schools or charitable groups, try offering up an award that you can present or hosting a special event with community involvement. For example, present a book award at a middle or elementary school to a student for a job well done, or hire the local elementary school band to play at your upcoming auction or as part of a special event at your office.
Source: Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Home Owners’ Monthly Mortgage Down About 40%
Home Owners’ Monthly Mortgage Down About 40%
Improving housing affordability mixed with low mortgage rates means that home owners are paying a lot less for their monthly mortgage payment than they did just a few years ago. In fact, they’re paying nearly 40 percent less on their monthly mortgage payment than home owners paid in 2006.
According to Fiserv, the monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced single-family home today is $700 — a drop of close 40 percent from 2006, when it was $1,140 .
“Housing affordability has improved dramatically because of declines in both prices and mortgage interest rates," David Stiff, chief economist at Fiserv, said in a statement. “Nationally, purchase mortgage payments now account for only 13 percent of monthly median family income, the lowest percentage on record (since 1971), and compared to 23 percent in the first quarter of 2006."
Source: “Monthly Mortgage Payment Almost 40% Cheaper Than 2006,” HousingWire (Nov. 9, 2011) and Fiserv
Improving housing affordability mixed with low mortgage rates means that home owners are paying a lot less for their monthly mortgage payment than they did just a few years ago. In fact, they’re paying nearly 40 percent less on their monthly mortgage payment than home owners paid in 2006.
According to Fiserv, the monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced single-family home today is $700 — a drop of close 40 percent from 2006, when it was $1,140 .
“Housing affordability has improved dramatically because of declines in both prices and mortgage interest rates," David Stiff, chief economist at Fiserv, said in a statement. “Nationally, purchase mortgage payments now account for only 13 percent of monthly median family income, the lowest percentage on record (since 1971), and compared to 23 percent in the first quarter of 2006."
Source: “Monthly Mortgage Payment Almost 40% Cheaper Than 2006,” HousingWire (Nov. 9, 2011) and Fiserv
Friday, November 4, 2011
Mortage interest rates continue at historicv lows!!!
Buy Now! You can probably buy the same type of home you are renting for less than you pay in Rent $$$.
Click here http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2011/11/04/mortgage-rates-drop-sharply-week
Click here http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2011/11/04/mortgage-rates-drop-sharply-week
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Seems housing is in recovery BUT all real estate is LOCAL
10 Cities Where List Prices Are Rising the Most
Which cities are seeing median list prices increase the most? Nationally, median list prices have risen 1.60 percent to $190,000, according to year-over-year listing data from September 2011 by Realtor.com, based on 146 markets.
Yet, in some cities, median list prices in that time frame have risen more than 20 percent. Florida cities, in particular, are continuing to see some of the largest rebounds in list prices.
Here are the 10 cities that have seen the largest percentage increases in median list prices based on year-over-year data from September:
1. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 34.46%
Median list price: $215,000
2. Miami, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 25.63%
Median list price: $250,000
3. Naples, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 23.41%
Median list price: $369,000
4. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 16.53%
Median list price: $233,000
5. Punta Gorda, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 14.07%
Median list price: $169,000
6. Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 12.22%
Median list price: $176,750
7. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.93%
Median list price: $129,500
8. Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.77%
Median list price: $112,000
9. Daytona Beach, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.32%
Median list price: $178,000
10. Boise City, Idaho
Year-over-year median list price increase: 10.58%
Median list price: $150,000
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Daily News
Yet, in some cities, median list prices in that time frame have risen more than 20 percent. Florida cities, in particular, are continuing to see some of the largest rebounds in list prices.
Here are the 10 cities that have seen the largest percentage increases in median list prices based on year-over-year data from September:
1. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 34.46%
Median list price: $215,000
2. Miami, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 25.63%
Median list price: $250,000
3. Naples, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 23.41%
Median list price: $369,000
4. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 16.53%
Median list price: $233,000
5. Punta Gorda, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 14.07%
Median list price: $169,000
6. Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 12.22%
Median list price: $176,750
7. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.93%
Median list price: $129,500
8. Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.77%
Median list price: $112,000
9. Daytona Beach, Fla.
Year-over-year median list price increase: 11.32%
Median list price: $178,000
10. Boise City, Idaho
Year-over-year median list price increase: 10.58%
Median list price: $150,000
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Daily News
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